Nearly 40 years ago, coach Red Miller, quarterback Craig Morton and the 1977 Broncos were etching the details of a historic season that put Denver on the NFL map.
The Broncos advanced to their first appearance in the AFC championship game, and none other than the hated Oakland Raiders were standing in the way of a first trip to the Super Bowl. Oakland handed Denver its only home loss of that season, 24-14, at Mile High Stadium.
The week leading up to the AFC championship game was far from normal. Morton spent the entire week in a Denver hospital for treatment on a hip pointer and to rest his battered knees and didn't practice.